That's Destiny for you
by Terrichance
Summary: While the plot of Voya Nui unravels, Takanuva is left facing the task of guarding Metru Nui. And trouble still abounds...


**That's Destiny For You.**

"They're in a royal snit, you know."

"Don't you mean a Noble snit?"

"You know what I mean. You are going to have to provide some answers eventually, Toa."

"-sigh- Honestly, you can't know what it's like to... oh, wait, I forgot who I was talking to."

It had been weeks since Jaller's party had left Metru Nui, and still no word had come from them. Yet their absence had not gone unnoticed, and now the Turaga were as disturbed as a hive of Nui-rama on fire. They only had one consolation; that the Toa of Light had not gone with them.

What they hadn't known was it was not for lack of trying. But somebody else did.

Takanuva sighed again as he stared out across the molten protodermis canal. Repair work had reached the point where the systems of Metru Nui were reaching their optimal conditions again, and so the river of magma was now flowing without a hitch. He could only wish his life was flowing just as easily now.

His companion was a most unusual person. Though he had heard of him in Turaga Vakama's tales of the past, meeting the small, hunch-backed creature was something else entirely. Now he was wishing the Rahaga would just go away and leave him alone.

Norik paced behind him, while the toa dangled his legs over the edge of the canal, letting the heat warm his feet. He had just been to Ko-Metru about a flock of ice bats, long story.

"You tried to accompany your friends to Voya Nui. Don't deny it, I'm quite sure."

"I'm NOT denying it."  
"You need to tell the Turaga."

Takanuva turned to look at his rahkshi-like face. "Don't you think I know that? But what good would it do, honestly? To tell them that I was going to help my friends, and then failing?"

Norik returned Takanuva's look with equal sterness. "It might just clear your concious a little, if it is weighing you down that much."

He turned away and looked back into the river's glow. "I know you meant well Toa, but there are some things that only others can do. You did what you could... at least, from what little I can guess."

Another sigh. "I am sorry, Norik. I would tell you, but... I can barely stand to tell myself."

Norik shook his head. "Not good. As a Toa, you are to stand for the truth... despite whatever discomforts it may bring. As a Toa of Light, this is especially true. You MUST tell someone soon."

Takanuva raised an eyebrow. "Or what? Or else I'll blow up spectacularly?"

"Or go mad. Or become feral. Or loose all your Toa powers. Any one of those."

The Toa studied the Rahaga's face for any signs that he might be kidding. However, not being familiar with Rahaga faces, he couldn't be sure if Norik's expression's was that of mirth, or that of seriousness.

After a moment of silence, he stood up and stretched. "Fine... I shall tell the Turaga... but I shall do it after I have made my patrol of Ta-Metru. Maybe it will give me time to think of how to put it to words."

"And I shall come with you." replied the red creature. "For I wouldn't want you to be in any MORE trouble for having missed something on your patrol. I shall be your second eyes."

-------

They had reached the Great Furnace. It still lay in ruins for the most part, but efforts had begun to rebuild it's base. Great cracks led away from the crater, whicdh still had yet to be filled in. Little bits of old, dried webbing hung at odd angles from various nearby buildings. It was late in the day, and the twin suns were setting, so no Matoran were anywhere to be seen. It was in this lovely setting that Takanuva and Norik were chatting once again.

"So, you stayed in Metru Nui this whole time?"

"Oh yes." the Rahaga replied. "Although the Toa Metru... or your Turaga, if you'd perfer... had rescued the Matoran, and transported them up above, there were still plenty of Rahi to round up. My brothers and I remained in the city, finding as many loose creatures as we could find, and transporting them back to the Archives. Bomonga made certian that they could not escape from there, and there they remain to this day. At least, most of them."

"Most of them? Oh, wait... you mean the natural creatures of Metru Nui were allowed to roam where they had in the past?"

"Precisely, Toa. The Kikanalo were allowed to roam the Sculpture fields, as were the Tarakava in the bays of Ga-Metru."

"And the Ice Bats in Ko-Metru, I'll bet."

"Indeed... oh, wait, yes. You'd just gotten back from Ko-Metru. Sorry to hear about that."

Takanuva hung his head. "I think that's just been my most embarrasing moment I've ever had as a Toa. I'm almost glad Hahli WASN'T there to chronicle that."

Norik began to chuckle, before a slight echo beyond the rubble became apparant to his Rahi-like senses. Takanuva was about to relate with Toa Pohatu and his Maha goat experiences, when the Rahaga put his finger to his lips and hissed.

There was silence. Then the sound issued again, a bit closer this time. Now that all was quiet, the Toa of Light could hear it too.

As slowly and as quietly as they could, the both of them made their way to where the sound emenated from. Beyond the pile of rubble, the both of them knew there was another channel for molten protodermis, though this one was still in bad repair, and thus was empty. If the noises were any indication though, there was something in the bottom of the channel, mucking about.

A sudden crash right next to Norik sent him leaping into the air, his blades spinning, his heartlight flashing ninety times a second. A quick glance behind him revealed that Takanuva had just experienced his second humiliation that day... he had tripped.

The toa pulled his mask out of the dirt and attempted to get up, but something had stuck to his foot and would not let go. Instead, he sat up and examined his foot, with Norik landing beside him.

He had stepped in something green and unpleasant-looking. Whatever it was, it was sticky enough to have fastened the toa's foot to the ground, which had caused him to trip. He moved his foot around a little, and grimaced as it finally came loose, trailing thick, sticky strands of green with it.

"It looks like the webbing that's everywhere." he muttered quietly to Norik. "Except it's... brighter. And a whole lot stickier."

The Rahaga said nothing. Although he had recovered from the initial fright, a new fear was coursing through his veins. He bent down to poke his staff in the stuff, then drew it away, trailing more of the foul-looking green. He held it under his nose and sniffed. Takanuva, by now, had uprighted himself and was busy scraping whatever of the stuff remained on his foot, back off onto the ground.

"This webbing... is FRESH."

Rahaga and Toa locked eyes with each other at those words. Neither said anything else, untill more noises came from beyond the debris. Norik looked towards them, and whispered to himself "Oh Mata-Nui, please let it not be so."

They continued advancing, climbing the pile of debris, laying down so as not to attract the attention of whatever it was that waited down there. Slowly slowly, they poked their heads over the edge of refuse, looking down into the bottom of the canal.

Takanuva, for a second, forgot he was no longer a Matoran and almost suggested that they find the Toa.

Poking through the loose pebbles of protodermis at the bottom of the dried river, stood a red creature that made Fikou look like ideal pets. It's eyes were a brilliant green, and it's pinchers clamped together restlessly, like the jaws of a Takea shark. It's hide was formed of a chitinous material, that looked quite fire-resistant, and it's four legs ended in insectoid points.

"Thank goodness." Norik breathed. "it's alone. But I wonder why it's here?"

"Is THAT..." Takanuva hissed "what I THINK it is?"

"If Vakama told you his tales in great detail, then yes, it is indeed, what you think it is. A Visorak. A Votahrak, to be exact."

The Toa's pulse was pounding in his ears. A Visorak. A REAL Visorak. Nevermind what the Turaga had said, those had just been stories to him. This was a REAL VISORAK. And now that he was seeing one in person, he was a lot more frightend than he had been when the elders had first described them.

Down below, the horde spider continued it's buisness. Eventually, movement took place below it's tarsel segments. Excited, the Votahrak began digging in a certain spot, before unearthing a rather large worm. Within a few jaw-snaps, it was gone, down the Visorak's gullet. Chittering happily to itself, it began digging again, hoping another would present itself for a meal.

"I see." the rahaga said to himself. "It's only hunting by itself. But I thought they had all left the city..."

"Mata-Nui protect us." Takanuva replied, trying to get a hold of himself.

Norik shook his head. "Still, it can't be allowed loose in Ta-Metru. We'll have to capture it."

"Capture it?? Just us two??"

A hand went over the panicked toa's mouth as the red visorak looked up from it's hunt to study it's surroundings. After a few seconds of seeing nothing, it returned to it's digging.

The red rahkshi-faced being removed his hand from Takanuva's mask and faced him. "Yes, capture it. It may sound daunting, but it's certianly possible. If Pouks were here, he'd want to take it on all by himself."

"Yes, but I'm Not Pouks!" he replied in a furious whisper. "I remember what Turaga Vakama said those things were- ARE capable of! They took over Metru Nui, mutated the Toa Metru, enjoyed nothing else but a good hunt, and-"

"And do you know WHY he told you those tales?" Norik interrupted the tirade. "Can you tell me that?"

A pause. "He... he wanted to share his memories with us... he wanted to warn us of what dangers might lurk ahead..."

"And he also wanted to prepare you. To inform you all of what dangers might lie ahead, as you said, but not to be AFRAID of them. To be prepared to FACE them. You cannot let your own fear cloud your sight."

Takanuva was silent. Then he bowed his head and whispered to himself "I ALWAYS seem to be in the right place at the wrong time."

A shrug. "That's destiny for you."

He sighed "You're right... I'm the Toa of Light. And I must light my own path."

The Toa stood up, and began making his way down the pile of rubble and down into the canal. The Visorak was too busy digging up another worm to notice.

"One word of advice." the Rahaga called after him. "Don't let it bite you. Keetongu is mios away now, and he's not a very fast Rahi either."

"Thanks for reminding me." Takanuva muttered.

-------

He landed on the bottom of the river with a thud. It was enough noise and movement to attract the Votahrak's attention, and when it's eyes settled on the white, humanoid-looking being, it sure didn't turn away.

Takanuva stood straight, with as stern a look on his kanohi as he could manage. "I am Takanuva, Toa of Light. Defender of Metru Nui. I must ask that you leave the city at once."

The spider glared at him, and then screeched. He winced; the turaga had not been kidding when they had said how terrible their roars were.

"I'm afraid I don't understand you, but I believe you can understand me. I must insist that you depart from Metru Nui immediately."

The Visorak continued glaring at him, before screaming again and ramming one of it's legs into the soil of the riverbed. The message here was understandable. It had no intention of going.

The Toa nodded. "Then I have no choice, but to use force." And he pulled his staff from behind his back, and pointed it.

The Votahrak was not expecting to see two lances of light streak out of the staff, only to land on either side of it, barely missing it's body and scorching the ground beneath. It backed up and sceeched angrily, before another bolt landed right square in-between it's pinchers, nearly blinding it.

It blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots from it's vision. It now understood that the toa was merely trying to frighten it, to drive it out of the city.

It snarled. Visorak were the Masters of Fear. This toa did not seem to know that.

It intended to teach him so hard he would never forget.

It charged.

Takanuva was now faced with a raging, screaming spider, heading right for him. It's eyes were locked on him, and he knew that dodging to either side would be futile at this point. He would have to wait untill it was almost on top of him.

Something else was niggling the back of his mind. He was certain that he knew something that might help in this situation. It was something... something... about the Votahrak in paticular! Now what was it... it was... something about it charging, which this one was doing... WHAT was it that Turaga Vakama had said?

OH YES! When Votahrak charge, their shell becomes temporarily indestructible, allowing it to plow through anything, including rock walls and Toa of Light!

With the spider almost upon him, Takanuva bent his knees, and channeled his power through his mask, causing it to light up brilliantly. Again, the Visorak was blinded, and it screeched as it barreled under a jumping toa, and smashed into the protodermic wall of the channel.

Executing a few handflips to gain distance, the white toa landed on the other side of the riverbed. He stood and waited, watching for any signs of movement from the cloud of dust against the wall...

A red burst of energy spun from the dust. A quick instictive pulse of light dissapated it before Takanuva even blinked. Was that... a Rhotuka spinner?

The Vohtahrak emerged, quite infuriated, and it arched it's back again. He could see energy charging up on it's back, spinning around in telltale circles. It was then that he remembered another fact from Vakama's tales; Votahrak spinners burned and itched like Karhzani.

It fired it's spinner, and then another, and yet another. Takanuva, despite the circumstances, smiled. Now was a chance to put one of his newfound abilities to use.

He pointed his staff at the spinners, and light flowed forth. However, it was not a bolt, like he had previously used. This time, the beams of light began to twist amongst themselves, and solidify. When they were done, the light had formed a shape.

Norik, back up on the rubble heap, rubbed his eyes and did a double-take. Projected from Takanuva's staff, was yet another staff, made of light... a king-sized KOLHII staff, to be precise.

The first spinner reached the staff. It swung, and with a mighty BAMF, the projectile was deflected away, sent spinning back to it's launcher. A quick couple of more swings threw the other two rhotuka back on a return course.

The Visorak made a strangled sound, and then dove to avoid being hit by it's own spinners. Then it stood back up to launch more. The duel became something like a surreal kolhii game, as Takanuva used his giant game-staff of light to defend, and the spider leapt from spot to spot, simultaniously launching, and avoiding it's own rhotuka.

"Amazing. The power is within ME. The sword is but the focus." Takanuva quoted, before chuckling "After I heard that Toa Kopaka had said that, I always wanted to say it too."

The spider however, was not as amused. It stopped it's assult and screamed in frustration, a long, horrible sound. Then it lowered it's head, and began to charge the Toa again. However, that was put to a stop rather quickly, as the jumbo kolhii staff of brightness repositioned itself, and slammed it's hammer-end down on top of the visorak.

Norik cried out. Even though he held no love for the horde spiders, killing was one of the things that went against the Toa's code of honor, and from what he'd just seen, Takanuva had just crossed that line.

The light hammer dissapated, leaving the spider in plain view. It was still alive, to the rahaga's relief, but it had been handed a tough blow. Still vengefull, the visorak lifted itself to it's feet, though the strain was obvious. It glared hatefully at Takanuva, and arched it's back again to fire. However, it could only summon a slight crackle of energy. It had used up all it's reserves in the duel.

Takanuva began to walk towards it, his staff pointed in front of him all the while. He paused within striking distance of the spider... it could have charged and bit him, but it didn't like the possibility of being impaled by that spear at the same time either.

The toa sighed again, and looked the beast in the eyes. Now he used his last ability, as the Kanohi Avohkii on his face lit up, dwelving into the mind of the monster, appealing to the few emotions of peace that it possessed.

It blinked as it stared into the white being's golden face. It began to ponder, why did this have to happen? Would have there really have been any harm in leaving? No, it was a matter of pride! But... but is it worth being nearly killed over? What's more important, your pride, or your life? It's... it's...

It began to sway on it's feet, seemingly hypnotized by the toa's glowing mask. Norik, high atop the edge of the channel, saw his chance. He stood up and leaned forward, charging up his own spinner. When it reached it's peak, he called down into the empty river "Heads up!"

Takanuva looked out the corner of his eyeholes at Norik, and nodded. He took two steps back, right before the rahaga launched his snag spinner. Two seconds of traveling time later, and the Visorak was swiftly immobilized, all it's limbs wrapped and bound by his snare. It blinked once more, and then fainted from exaushtion.

Norik was quick to rejoin his companion, as he glided down atop his blades. "That was amazing! I had no idea that you had mastered you power on that level! Transmutation of light into solid objects! That was... spectatular!"

"Thank you Norik." Takanuva replied, looking back at the spider before facing him again. "I honestly wasn't certain if I could do it at first... My battles are limited in number, really. I don't have a lot of experience. I found out about that paticular power in an accident, honestly. But... I suppose it all worked out in the end."

The red one nodded. "It seems there is a lot yet in store for you, my young friend. It was especially good that you were here this time. What might have happened, had you not returned to us, and this creature was still free?"

He lowered his head. Now that he thought about it, a lot of things could have gone wrong, were he not here. He shuddered to think about it. Had he not been here, there was a very real possibility that the visorak would have found it's way eventually, to the inhabited sectors of the city, where it would be bound to cause chaos.

"I see." he replied at last. "I guess that IS destiny for you after all... my place is here in Metru Nui, with the Matoran. Jaller understood that... it took me too long to understand that as well."

He now turned to the bound Votahrak. "So, what do we do with it?"

"We'll take it to the Colleseum. We will be able to ask it questions there, and find out if there are any other Visorak living in the city. Then... well, we'll think of something."

Takanuva nodded, and bent down to pick up their captive. After a bit of positioning, he got it aligned on his back, and he proceeded to carry it center-wards, towards the monolith in the sky.

Silence followed, untill he turned to Norik and said "Hey... why didn't you help me in the fight right at first?"

Norik looked up and replied "You never told me when to jump in! The only piece of action I got was that right there at the end!"

The both of them broke out into laughter as they continued their journey. Now they had TWO tales to tell the Turaga.

**-FIN-**


End file.
